Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - winkle out

1. If you winkle information out of someone, you get it from them when they do not want to give it to you, often by tricking them. (BRIT INFORMAL) The security services will pretty well go to any lengths to winkle out information... The detective was trying to winkle information out of her. = worm out PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V n P of n, also V n P 2. If you winkle someone out of a place where they are hiding or which they do not want to leave, you make them leave it. (BRIT INFORMAL) He somehow managed to winkle Picard out of his room... Political pressure finally winkled him out and on to a plane bound for Berlin... It will not be easy to winkle out the old guard and train younger replacements. PHRASAL VERB: V n P of n, V n P, V P n (not pron)